A woman who moved to Valencia in June 2024 has shared the unexpected discovery about Spanish city life that ‘no one ever warns you about’ – but she insists it’s not necessarily a bad thing
She moved to Spain in June 2024 (stock)(Image: Getty Images)
An expat has shared the unexpected discovery she made after moving to Spain that “no one ever warns you about”, completely transforming her preconceptions of living overseas. The woman, who moved to Valencia in June 2024, has described how the actual experience fell somewhat short of her mental picture of a perpetually lively, thriving Spanish metropolis – though she insists it’s not entirely negative.
Sharing on TikTok under the handle @togethertowherever, she detailed how she was initially taken aback to discover substantial portions of the city appearing deserted during particular periods. She stated: “Valencia in August: one minute it’s buzzing… the next it’s a ghost town. Locals disappear, shops close, and suddenly you’ve got the whole city to yourself (and the tourists).”
The expat continued by clarifying that the scorching weather in Spain is a significant factor, with temperatures climbing so dramatically throughout the summer that numerous residents abandon the city entirely.
Valencia generally starts warming from approximately May, when temperatures sit around 23C on average.
This subsequently increases during early summer, hitting roughly 27C in June, before reaching its peak at about 29C throughout July and August.
After summer, temperatures steadily decline once more, with conditions becoming markedly cooler during autumn.
Throughout the winter period, from approximately November through April, the climate typically stabilises between about 19C and 14C, creating a considerably cooler yet still reasonably temperate environment when compared to numerous other European destinations.
She continued: “I just thought of something that was shocking to me when I first moved to Spain.
“I remember walking around thinking it was so quiet here. I thought I moved to a vibrant, energetic country and culture. I was walking around and realised the streets were really dead.
“As the summer starts and school is out, people start leaving town because it gets so hot and humid here. Slowly, starting in June, every day I notice more and more, the streets are quieter.
“In August, I notice tourists around and then September came about and everyone was back and it lively again and I was like, ‘Okay, that’s what I thought it was going to be like’.”
Baffled by this seasonal transformation, she questioned: “Anyone else feel that post-school exodus energy?”
Her clip generated discussion online, with one viewer responding: “Oh interesting because in winter it was busy!”
Someone else sought guidance, posting: “What area would you recommend for a family with kids of school age? Ideally we would love to live closer to school, we are starting the moving process for next summer and I’m so confused.”
The content creator answered: “There are lots of public schools as well as concertados. The international schools are the ones out of town a bit. I think on either side of Turia Gardens is great for families.”